The game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams at the MCG kicks off at 10:35 am (AEST) on Thursday, and cool, clear, calm conditions are expected in Melbourne.

This will be the first ever NFL match to take place in Australia, with the nation's largest and most famous sporting arena to be showcased to potentially more than 20 million TV viewers, who will tune in on Thursday evening in the USA.

So what will the weather bring?

Unusually calm conditions for a city famous for volatile weather

After a possible foggy start to Friday, Melbourne is expecting clear skies and a maximum of 17°C (approx. 63°F). after a minimum of 8°C (approx. 46°F).

If you were issuing a blind forecast for any given day in September based purely on monthly averages, Friday's temperatures are almost exactly what you'd expect, as Melbourne's average September maximum is 17.1°C and its average September minimum is 8.3°C.

It's not often that the monthly averages are matched so closely in a daily forecast – and that's not the only unusual thing about Melbourne's weather on Friday.

As any local knows, Melbourne's weather is famously volatile. Locals often say they experience "four seasons in one day". A running joke is that if you don't like the weather in Melbourne, just wait a few minutes.

Due to its location on Australia's southern coastline. Melbourne can experience searing hot northerly winds bringing heat from Australia's interior, followed by cold, showery air masses that originated in Antarctica.

Sometimes, and especially in spring, both extremes can occur on the same day.

But this Friday will be the meteorological equivalent of baby bear's porridge, with near windless, clear conditions – even if it's a little on the cool side with an apparent or "feels like" temperature between about 13°C (approx. 55°F) and 15°C (59°F) during the game.

The good news for fans attending the match – and for those watching on television – is that Melbourne's clear skies should be conducive to a dry playing surface and a free-flowing game.

There may be a little dew early on, but it will likely evaporate by mid-morning.

Image: 2-metre temperatures and 10-metre winds for Victoria and Melbourne at 10 am (AEST) on Friday, September 11, 2026, showing that winds will be light during the game. Source: Weatherzone.

Key Melbourne weather facts and statistics

Rainfall

Melbourne receives 644.2 mm of rainfall (approx. 25 inches) on average each year.

That's pretty similar to what San Francisco receives, but Melbourne's rain is reasonably evenly distributed from month to month, whereas most of San Francisco's rain comes in winter.

Spring is a little wetter than other seasons in Melbourne, with September typically being the 4th-wettest month with an average of 52.8 mm (just over two inches).

Temperature

Melbourne's average maximum in September is 17.1°C.

Melbourne's average minimum in September is 8.3°C.

So as mentioned above, Friday's forecast of a minimum of 8°C to a maximum of 17°C is right on average for this time of year.

Melbourne’s hottest day on record was 46.4°C (approx. 116 °F) in February 2009, and its coldest recorded night was -2.8°C (approx. 27°F) in July 1869.

Our detailed Melbourne forecast is here.